Screenings

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Join the Trenton Film Society and Passage Theatre for a special free screening of the 1946 holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” by Frank Capra, starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, a man who is about to give up on life until his guardian angel shows him how things would be different if he had never been born.

And keep the spirit going after the screening at a reception downstairs, complete with cookies and caroling!

Saturday, Dec. 16, 7:00 pm – FREE

Posted by admin on 11:10 pm in Screenings | Comments Off on Sing-Along Rocky Horror Picture Show

Sing-Along Rocky Horror Picture Show

Saturday, October 28, 8:00 pm

Need an excuse to pull out those fishnets? The Trenton Film Society and Passage Theatre Company invite you to do the time warp and sing along with the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday, October 28 at the Mill Hill Playhouse.

The event, MC’ed by Trenton filmmaker Jeff Stewart (A Different Path Films), will be kicked off by a parade for all costumed participants to show off their Rocky Horror/Halloween finest, with prizes for the best costumes and other raffles.

Rock your best Frank-n-Furter, Rocky, or Janet! We’ll provide the props, you bring on the shouting, throwing, dancing and singing! The fun will continue after the movie with a party downstairs.

Sparrow Duet

PART TWO: TRENTON MAKES

(Total running time: 76 minutes)

Selkie

Amy Frear
A wayward selkie (a seal that can turn itself into a human) has followed a school of herring up the Delaware river when her seal skin is captured by a man from the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. 8 min, 2016.

The Joke’s On You

Adrian Colon
Adrian Colon, an up-and-coming comedian from Trenton, NJ, struggles with anxiety and troubles in his past as he tries to return to the stage after a 2-year hiatus. 25 min, 2014.

Paco

Frieda & Eddie: A Jersey Shore Love Story

Jennifer Suwak & Steve Abruzzese
Two years in the life Frieda and Eddie, who dated in 1942 until Eddie was drafted into the service for World War II. They separated, married other people and had families of their own. After both of their spouses died, they reconnected and found it’s never too late for love. 24 min, 2014.

The Ballad of Craig Kelly

Jeff Stewart
A semi-autobiographical short about love and loss, told in real time. Based on the life experience of actor Craig Kelly, it is a stream of consciousness narrative dealing with a lonely man coming to terms with his past, present and future mistakes. 8 min, 2017.

PopUp Anthology at Trenton Film Society: Local Film Night

January 14, 2017, 7:00 pm

If you enjoyed our September event with PopUp Anthology, you won’t want to miss this new line-up of short films by local filmmakers! Stay for a Q&A and meet the filmmakers at a reception following the screening. $10 for both screening and reception.

DAYDREAMER

(16m) A young woman imagines herself as the hero in some of her favorite movies in order to recover from a recent traumatic event.

Producer/Actress: Erin Zapcic
If you can’t figure out where you know Erin Zapcic from, chances are you’ve got a picture of her in your home as Princess Catalina at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. You may also have seen her in the critically acclaimed web series CASTERS (remastered and slated for re-release online in 2016), which introduced her to a creative team with whom she has collaborated on several projects. In addition to producing her first short film DAYDREAMER, she has two web series in the works, including TRENDING with Rosalie Tenseth.

WOLF OF THE WOODS

(4m 30s) A father and son must overcome the monster that’s tearing them apart.

Director: Evan MaronEvan Maron is an animator, visual storyteller, and part-time oak tree. It is his goal to express complex emotions by experimenting with the boundaries of design and narrative in animation. His work has been shown in local galleries and auditoriums around Philadelphia and Wilmington. He recently received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Animation at the the University of the Arts, and works as a Software Engineer at JPMorganChase.

THERAPY

(11m) Ready to confront her darkest memories, Jacqui finds herself in the office of Dr. Barnes, a man who may have dark memories of his own. Though heavily scarred, Jacqui will face her history at any cost. The hardest part will be deciding what she must do after confronting her demons. Can she and her doctor accept the consequences, as the sins of the past erupt into the present?

Producer: Melissa De Leon
Melissa De Leon is an independent filmmaker based in the East Coast who earned a degree in Film and Media Arts from Temple University. She began producing in 2010, starting with a senior thesis project called The Journey. She has now produced 7 projects, including Therapy, which won The Viewers’ Choice Award from Xfinity OnDemand, an Honorable Mention from Bucks Fever FilmFest, and recently won Best Actress in a Narrative Short Film from the WideScreen Film & Music Video Festival. She is currently producing a documentary called A Bird Without Wings and is developing a web series called Lies by Omission.

SELKIE

(8m) A wayward selkie (a seal that can turn itself into a human) has followed a school of herring up the Delaware river when her seal skin is captured by a man from the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Writer/Director: Amy FrearAmy Frear is a filmmaker and theatre artist based out of Philadelphia, PA. Her work explores journey, connection, getting lost, time travel, the occasional historic figure or marine mammal, and always a bit of magic. Her films include Another Time and Selkie.

FRAME OF REFERENCE

“Frame of Reference” focuses on Alex and her best friend Lauren as they recount Alex’s latest failed relationship. But are they even talking about the same thing? Alex tends to wear a romanticized 1940s filter on her memories and Lauren, well, Lauren doesn’t remember it quite so nicely. Who’s right and who’s wrong? It all depends on your frame of reference.

Writer/Producer/Actress:Gina Marie Rodriguez
A graduate of Rutgers University, Gina Marie Rodriguez holds a B.A in Theater Arts and Communication. She bides her time blogging, scriptwriting, filmmaking, acting and modeling. She has three independent films under her belt and is the Founder and Director of the Rahway International Film Festival.

PopUp Anthology is an initiative to promote local films to local audiences. This program was curated by filmmakers Katherine Clark & Adrian Colon. Learn more at www.popupanthology.com.

Local Films by Local Filmmakers. Join us for a special evening of select short films by NJ and PA filmmakers curated with our friends at PopUp Anthology. All filmmakers will be in attendance for a Q&A and reception following the screening.

$10 admission includes screening and reception.
Proceeds benefit the Trenton Film Society.

PACO (12m, 2016) by Philadelphia-based filmmaker Catalina Jordan Alvarez is an experimental comedy about a cat caller. Alvarez, who describes herself as a “global Southern Latina writer and director,” holds degrees in acting and film from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and Temple University.

Music video I CAN’T BREATHE (3m, 2015), a poignant critique of racial disparity, was created as part of Trenton native Rihki Kennebrew’s scholarly thesis at Cheyney University. The video won an Honorable Mention, Best New Media award at the 2016 Trenton Film Festival.

Documentary short THE JOKE’S ON YOU (25m, 2014) follows Adrian Colon, and up-and-coming comedian from Hamilton, NJ as he struggles with anxiety, family, and a troubled past in an effort to return to the stage after a 2-year hiatus. The film won the Audience Favorite award at the 2015 Trenton Film Festival.

Comedy series trailer TRENDING (7m, 2016) by writer/director/actor and Morris County resident Rosalie Tenseth follows the office politics of a social media PR firm. Tenseth’s acting work has been seen in numerous television and stage productions.

ONE LOVE (5m, 2014), a music video produced by Trenton filmmaker Jeff Stewart for community-conscious Trenton rapper Black Collar Biz, shares a message of unity and hope. Educated at NYU and Temple University, Stewart is Board Chair of the Trenton visual arts center Artworks.

Fiction short ANOTHER TIME (24m, 2015), directed by film and theater artist Amy Frear, tells the story of a twenty-something woman dealing with life and loneliness in the City of Brotherly Love. The film was inspired by Frear’s job as a tour guide in the historic Old City section of Philadelphia.

Three sold out shows!

Riot on the Dance Floor: The Story of Randy Now and City Gardens

February 11-13, 2015, 7:30 pm

Riot on the Dance Floor: The Story of Randy Now and City Gardens is a
documentary from director Steve Tozzi that features the stark and iconic
photography of Thrasher Magazine’s Ken Salerno. It is told through an oral
history format of in-depth interviews and archival footage, bringing to life
the gritty story of one of New Jersey’s most infamous clubs and its larger
than life promoter. City Gardens was a venue for underground music and during
its time it traversed the entertainment spectrum; from the comedy of Henny
Youngman to Nine Inch Nails, New Order to Nirvana. Riot on the Dance Floor
is a journey of musical champions and underdogs and above all, the freedom
and liberation of having complete creative control.

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7:30 pm – Sold Out

Thursday, Feb. 12, 7:30 pm – Sold Out

Friday, Feb. 13, 7:30 pm – Sold Out

“F*cking Amazing!”

– Matt Pinfield, MTV 120 Minutes

“Tozzi creates a moving portrait of the people on the fringes of the music industry.”

“A fantastic film that will help to preserve a cultural hub–“

Trenton Film Society with Cinema Thursdays presents

TRENTON MAKES…..MOVIES

Shorts by local filmmakers, followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers and audience Q&A. Discover what is happening in Trenton’s largely underground film scene, and meet the filmmakers. Affords audiences an insider’s view into the making of film as well as the chance to see new, cutting-edge footage. Curated by Jeffrey Stewart of A Different Path Films

Saturday, November 8, 7:30 PM at Mill Hill Playhouse FREE

“15 Years in the Making”

Director: Joshua Birkhimer Borden
TRT: 20 Minutes

Synopsis:
On a beautiful summer’s day in the park, life long friends Jennifer (Lori Reed) and Michael (Frank Williams) stop to sit on a special bench to reflect on their long lasting friendship and the reasons for it’s longevity only to discover their true feelings for each other. “15 Years in the Making” (A.K.A. The Bench: Chapter 8) marks the first collaboration between writer Christopher Michael Jones, Producer Jeff Stewart, and Director Joshua Birkhimer Borden with his skillful cinematographers Malachi Matcho and Jamaal R. Green as part of the Art All Night Film Festival presents The Bench film project

Director Bio:
Joshua Birkhimer Borden is a professional Art Director at RDA International, in charge of their Sony Professional accounts. He received his Bachelors of Advertising and Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts of New York, New York. Joshua has worked on such well know accounts as 2K Games, Empire State Building, Korg USA, Nivea, Starwood Resorts, Take Two Interactive, THX, Vera Wang and many more. In addition to his advertising and graphic design work, Joshua is also an illustrator, photographer and filmmaker who has exhibited at Art All Night Trenton, Artworks Trenton, Mercer Community County College, Trenton Social, Pterodactyl Studios, Eris Temple Arts, Randy Now’s Man Cave, The Record Collector and Square Peg Round Hole. Joshua has done 3 years of volunteer work for Art All Night Trenton, where he has started the film festival portion of this popular Trenton community event, as well as volunteering his time and talents to the Wailing Woods Haunted Hayride, a free Bordentown community hayride. He recently collaborated with seven other local directors to create a feature length film titled The Bench, a film project produce by Jeff Stewart, specially designed for the 2014 Art All Night Trenton Film Festival. Joshua is currently in pre-production on his next short film titled Solitaire. Joshua Borden resides in Bordentown, New Jersey with his wife April and their son T. His work can be seen online at www.industrialscorpion.com. He can be contacted at industrialscorpion@gmail.com.

“The Butcher”

Director: John E. Vitali

Producer: Jeannie Sconzo
TRT: 2 Minutes

Synopsis:
Christopher woke up to find he doesn’t know where he is, how he got there or who the lady butchering his penis is.

Director Bio:
John’s desire to perform and create was deeply rooted, yet not realized or pursued until adulthood. Some of his most memorable appearances include “The Tonight Show” and “America’s Most Wanted.” He has also been a part of several studio films, independent films, TV shows, commercials, print ads, live theater, and stand up comedy. “The Demo Crew,” which he produced and directed, has been compared to the likes of “Rocky” and “Brian’s Song” by Video Business Magazine.

“I Love My Family…Honestly”

Director: Jeannie Sconzo
TRT: 11 Minutes, 47 Seconds

Synopsis:
Description: Sarah is finally within reach of her goal weight, the weight she had before the births of her two children! Just as she’s preparing to celebrate, her jovial friend offers a possible reason for her sudden sluggishness – could it be a pregnancy?

Director Bio:
After being called up as a contestant on The Price is Right in 2000, Jeannie decided to try her hand at landing herself on a screen, be it big or small, on a regular basis. That led her to The Academy of Dramatic Arts where she studied stage as well as on-screen performing. After seven years of local commercials, industrials, plays and independent films, she happily accepted the recurring role of a nurse on the soap opera “All My Children.” Just a year following that break through, she began screenwriting and producing. Now she has produced six short films and continues to seek out opportunities for growth in the local film community.”I Love My Family…Honestly” is the latest creation which could not have come together without her lead actor, long time friend, and fellow comrade from the hit show “Tony and Tina’s Wedding,” John Vitali.

“Atonement”

Director: Brandon Norwood
TRT: 21 Minutes

Synopsis:
“Atonement” is a short noir thriller about a man named Eric who has lost his girlfriend recently and looks not only for answers, but also revenge. But is there something wrong with Eric?

Director Bio:
Brandon Norwood, a Mercer county native, is an up and coming filmmaker who has worked extensively for a major studio and has also pitched shows to networks. He has a strong passion for movies and love music and loves to have a chat about both while making ignorant jokes on pop culture and society.

“Good Morning”

Director: Rachel Troche
TRT: 5 Minutes, 19 Seconds

Synopsis:
A man, a woman, and a gun…each with their own secrets.

“Perchance To Dream”

Director: Rachel Troche
TRT: 10 Minutes

Synopsis:
In this modern adaptation of “Sleeping Beauty,” Aurora suffers from narcolepsy. She has recurring dreams of Phillip, a handsome and charming man who exists only in her head. When Phillip starts appearing in her waking world, she has trouble determining if she’s awake or if she’s having another sleep attack. And if she is asleep, does she really want to wake up?

Director Bio:
Rachel Troche is an award-winning filmmaker and fine art photographer Born in September, 1985 in Camden, New Jersey, she grew up just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania until attending Temple University in the fall of 2004. She majored in Film and Media Arts, graduating Cum Laude in 2008 and has been working on short films, feature films, commercials and digital marketing since.

In one form or another, Rachel has always had a camera in her hands. She believes in harnessing emotion and telling stories through visual imagery, both still and moving. She has extensive experience in portraiture, and is currently working on a series in surrealism based on constructed realities and conceptual self portraiture.

Her photography has been featured in The Photo Review, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Fifth Wednesday Journal. She recently completed work on “Perchance to Dream,” a short film she wrote and directed for the Project Twenty1 21-Day Filmmaking Competition that took home the coveted awards for Best Director and Best Marketing. She also assisted the art department on the feature film, “McCanick,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival September, 2013.

She currently resides outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with her husband, two cats, and pet rabbit.

“Martyr”

Director: Jeff Stewart
TRT: 3min, 41sec

Synopsis:
In the town of Friendship, a place the world has forgot, a group of immortals engage in an annual ceremony to ensure their way of life. Sometimes, eternity demands a sacrifice.

Director Bio:
Award winning writer/director/photographer Jeff Stewart is a true child of the 80s. He was raised just as much by television and movies as he was by his parents. Given his first camera when he was two years old, he hasn’t been seen without one since. His love of photography and what some may say as a gift of storytelling propelled him to attend New York University and Temple University to pursue a degree in filmmaking and creative writing. In his travels through life Jeff has been a comic book writer, professional photographer, radio show host, and just a generally fantastic individual. Jeff, along with his producing partner and childhood best friend, Chris Kaczor, have produced works for Pepsi-Co, Amazon Studios, BBC4, and Drafthouse Films.

“Dollar Night”

Director: Marco Antonio Martinez
TRT: 18 Minutes

Synopsis:
“Dollar Night” tells the story of Andy, a vibrant 80 year old theater projectionist whose love for cinema is tested when faced with the closing of his beloved theater.

Director Bio:
Marco Antonio Martinez has served as writer, director, producer and editor to many short film projects including “Mirando Al Norte” which was chosen as an official selection at the Chihuahua International Film Festival and Quito Festival Internacional de Cortos where Marco received the Best Director and Audience awards. Marco’s recent film “Dollar Night” has recently received Film Preservation, Best of Fest, and Audience Awards and has screened at numerous film festivals.

“Bruno”

Director: Sam Goetz
TRT: 34 Minutes

Synopsis:
Bruno is the story of an asthmatic misanthropic bicycle enthusiast named Derek and his sensitive All-American sitcom-loving cousin Bruno. The two opposites live together in the decaying suburbs of Trenton, NJ with Bruno’s mom, the disgruntled and terrifying Aunt Sarah.

Director’s Bio:
Sam Goetz was born and raised in a small suburb outside of Trenton, NJ. Currently, he resides in Brooklyn, NY, where he works as a film and tv editor. Sam’s short films have won numerous awards and screened across the U.S., internationally, and on television.

Connect with Trenton Film Society

Join our e-mail list and be the first to find out about our upcoming events!

Help support the Trenton Film Society through your tax-deductible contribution.